> All things being equal, I think I'd be happy with the current encoding
> method (name=value&name=value with escaping) just slapped into the
> body of an HTTP/1.0 'SUBMIT' request -- keeps things simple and
> straightforward, avoids creating a new syntax, is known to properly
> handle escaping issues, and servers and code already exist for
> decoding/handling it.
>
> To be honest, the idea of encoding it in some kind of SGML format does
> not excite me in the least -- what would be the added value?
I think that was my reality check I heard.
I definitely agree with the "KISS" principle espoused here.
The stuff I was talking about in my previous message about
composing requests as globs of HTML with non-HTML tags thrown
in for logical tagging would unnecessarily complicate what is
right now an elegant and effective protocol, the 'SUBMIT'
request. I take it back!
The application I want to make that uses forms to assemble
structured documents could still be implemented within this
context by the use of smart servers to handle the stuff
submitted with the existing SUBMIT protocol (and it makes
more sense to direct this task to a special server anyway,
rather than to gum up what is working now).
(meanwhile, back on Planet of the Data...)
I'm still interested in more reality checks ... on the idea
of logical tags, "index" servers (basically servers that would
maintain the indexes for the implicit database that is the
whole contents of the Web), "meta-data" servers, etc. Is that
too much of a traditional database thing, or do some of you
have applications that need that stuff? Does the idea of
putting in non-HTML logical tags (invisible to HTML browsers
but visible to indexing filters) sound reasonable or does it
give people the creeps?
It would have to be decided how the indexes would be maintained:
my idea is that it would be at the "Web object" author's
initiative. E.g., the author could send the URL to the
indexing server (or a meta-server that knows which index
servers to contact) for "registration" and indexing.
Is this an appropriate forum for this topic, or should I
take this application-oriented noise to c.i.w3?
(Go ahead, be brutally honest ... I can take it!)
Steve Waterbury.